Friday, November 30, 2012

What's the opposite of nostalgia? Antonyms for the word- they include forgetfulness, pragmatic and unromantic- don't really convey my tepid reaction to the reunion of Graham Parker and the Rumour on the new album Three Chords Good. It's their first collaboration since 1980's The Up Escalator.

The profound experiences I associate with 1979's Squeezing Out Sparks mean so much to me that I hope to never hear the recording again. I've spent years trying to work through the things I went through as the album sat on my turntable. Although Sparks is like kryptonite to me, I've kept tabs on Parker's career and have purchased physical copies of at least a dozen of his albums. Even so, I've been over Parker for years. It's not him- it's me. As I became more interested in hip hop, jazz and metal, Parker's angry blue-eyed soul became less relevant to me.

In spite of my misgivings, I felt obligated to give Three Chords Good a fair shake. Two things immediately struck me. Parker's soulful snarl has lost none of its bite. He sounds fantastic. And The Rumour, not surprisingly, remain a first-rate pub rock band. The new album even features a few welcome jazz-tinged moments. By finding the sweet spot between Creedence Clearwater Revival and Sam Cooke, the title track captures much of what makes the tandem great. Even so, I'm just not feeling it. It doesn't help that Three Chords Good's last three tracks are unbearably shrill. Even if I agree with the sentiments, I really don't want to hear a reproductive rights song titled "Coathangers," a protest song about the "Last Bookstore in Town" or the anti-war screed "Arlington's Busy."

If I had a chance to catch the current reunion tour, I'd buy a copy of Three Chords Good just to so I could frame an autographed copy of my favorite album cover of the year. Thanks for the memories, Graham. You'll have to carry on without me.

Monday, November 26, 2012

The opportunity to audition an album without harboring any preconceived notions doesn't come around much anymore. Yet a copy of Old Times There mysteriously found its way into one of my MP3 players. Aside from the artist's name- The South Memphis String Band- I had no insights or clues into what I was hearing as I attempted to liberate some fat from my gut.

Sit-ups hurt. The ensemble's concept made me even more uncomfortable. It's one thing to appreciate Gus Cannon's 1920s performances of "Turnip Greens" and "Can You Blame the Colored Man?". It's another thing entirely to hear faithful renditions of the songs that contain language and a worldview that are wholly unacceptable in 2012. An unironic version of "Jimbo Jambo Land" is similarly squirm-inducing. The material and the performances contained on Old Times There are undeniably great, but the misogyny and bygone racial backdrop are deeply disconcerting.

Who are these daring musicians and what are their subversive intentions? As sweat dripped onto a keyboard, I learned that the South Memphis String Band is tthe all-star trio of Luther Dickinson, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jimbo Mathus. Wow! Why didn't any of you jerks tell me about this band?

The project's disquieting themes have likely prohibited it from garnering more attention. But that's precisely why the rough-hewn Old Times There is "important." What place do "land of cotton" conventions have in contemporary society? The South Memphis String Band is fearlessly exploring those divisive boundaries.

Anyone with an affinity for Furry Lewis, Document Records and greasy skillets is advised to get hip to the South Memphis String Band.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Is that reckless woman throwing darts going to put my eye out? And why are drunk men hitting on me? Those are just a couple of the disconcerting questions that crossed my mind as Smash the State performed at a dive bar on Thanksgiving Eve.

The opportunity to put myself in uncomfortable situations is one of the most appealing aspects of any ambitious music festival. A $10 pass for Flood Fest 2012 bought me a chance to see 30 relatively unheralded acts in six venues. Smash the State appeared in a place I usually associate with the gauntlet of panhandlers that often gathers on a nearby sidewalk.

Smash the State was convincingly authentic. The band's official bio encapsulates its aesthetic- (f)ive dirtbags, thugs, bastards and hooligans who have gotten together to bring hardcore punk rock back to KC. Smash the State's perfect performance in a perfect place made my night.

---For those about to rave? Beats Antique's remix of the AC/DC classic is available as a free download.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

As a know-it-all introvert, I don't represent the target audience for the new Science of Rock exhibit at Union Station.

I'm not going to learn much from the informational displays and I'm too self-conscious to flaunt my talents as a vocalist, drummer, guitarist, keyboardist or storyteller in the exhibit's engaging interactive features. Those are personal problems. Most people will find that the Science of Rock offers an entertaining and educational experience. (It's slated to run through April. Here's KSHB's report on the exhibit.)

Displays don't merely allow visitors to show off their Guitar Hero-style skills. At a patron's discretion, performances can be filmed and emailed. That's pretty cool. I also admired a control panel that allows for creative remixes of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." Local artifacts on display include the original mirror ball from the El Torrean Ballroom.

The Science of Rock may not be for me, but it's fully capable of inspiring a teenager to become the next Krizz Kaliko or Bob Walkenhorst.

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I spent three hours watching Sunday's broadcast of the American Music Awards. The only things that didn't make me want to join a terrorist group were the performances by Kelly Clarkson (I adore her), Justin Bieber (I'm not kidding) and Nicki Minaj (I can't get enough).

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A friend posted four more previously unreleased Jay McShann tracks. This is my favorite of the batch.

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Pat Metheny uploaded a track from his forthcoming album to YouTube.

Friday, November 16, 2012

I was enjoying a live stream of a performance by Dayna Stephens last night when emcee Josh Jackson asked the saxophonist to discuss his dire medical condition. Stephens needs a new kidney.

I immediately thought of longtime There Stands the Glass favorite P.O.S. After the musician posted a video titled P.O.S Health Situation and Tour Cancellation at YouTube on October 19, fans rallied around him. Over $36,000 has been donated at a crowdfunding site named Stef Needs a New Kidney. Time magazine wrote about the phenomenal support the underground hip hop artist has received from his fans. I understand that a new kidney has been located.

In an odd instance of synchronicity, Taylor Eigsti uploaded a video to YouTube titled Help Dayna Stephens Find a Kidney! on October 19, 2011, exactly one year prior to the P.O.S video. While P.O.S' plea has been viewed over 41,000 times in less than a month, Eigsti's video has been seen under 5,000 times in the past year.

The dramatically reduced role of jazz in popular culture isn't merely an artistic matter. Lives are at stake. Details are available at Help Dayna Stephens.

----"Music is the weapon." The trailer for The Awakening of an Icon, a documentary about Fela, is intriguing.

Monday, November 12, 2012

The floor of White Recital Hall's stage may have been the most revolting spot in Kansas City on Sunday afternoon. Spit valves unloaded the slimy contents of trumpets, tubas, French horns, trombones and euphoniums during an otherwise lovely recital.

A few members of the audience of about 100 slept through the 80-minute showcase of students enrolled in the The Conservatory of Music and Dance. I was riveted by the variety of textures featured in the lively presentation. Six student ensembles and one "graduate fellowship" group performed. Here are a handful of observations:

The combination of two French horns and bassoon is absolutely splendid. I need more of that in my life.

The ensemble with the best name was clearly Heavy Metal Task Force.

After performing The Nebraska Plains, a composition by "geometric khemist" Kerwin Young, the members of a quintet acknowledged Young's presence.

I won't divulge names or places, but I witnessed one participant sitting in with a jazz band on Saturday night.

A portion of the prodigious belly of a musician was exposed every time he took a breath. I was mesmerized by the sight.

I intend to return to White Recital Hall tonight (Monday) to take in the Conservatory's "Jazz Combos" recital. I'll be the guy who's making certain his stomach flab isn't inadvertently exposed.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

When I sold prerecorded music for a living in the pre-Napster era, releases like John Proulx's new album The Best Thing For You allowed me to make a small but meaningful impact on the industry. While my bread and butter was simply facilitating reorders of strong catalog and making bank on obvious forthcoming bestsellers, playing an active role in breaking artists provided me with a great deal of satisfaction. The new effort by Proulx fits my parameters:

Can I succinctly pitch the album with genuine enthusiasm? Yes. John
Proulx is going to the be the male version of Karrin Allyson! Or, if
you will, an earthier version of Michael Feinstein! In fact, Feinstein
is on the album! We're going to sticker the album with that! And if
you're into jazz, you'll want to know that the album also features Sara
Gazarek, Bob Sheppard, Bill Cunliffe and Joe Labarbera. In addition to
standards and originals, Proulx covers material by Billy Joel, Sarah McLachlan and
"Sing"- the Joe Raposo song everyone knows from the Carpenters' version. Let's get this title set up in every listening station
and in-store play opportunity available! Anyone who likes Michael
Feinstein, Michael Franks, Basia, Sade or Oleta Adams will buy The Best Thing For You if
they hear it! Let's get behind this album and make it a hit!

Is the album released by a record label with marketing dollars? Yes. MaxJazz is operated by smart people who stand behind their product.

Is the packaging appealing? Yes. As with all MaxJazz albums, the handsome packaging immediately conveys the type of music it contains.

Is there a definable audience for the album? Yes. gay/straight, male/female, black/white, ages 30-70. People who like jazz vocals, easy-listening and smooth jazz are potential buyers.

Does the artist tour? Yes. He's in Michigan, New Mexico, California and Washington this month.

What's that? You want to know if I like it? Well, I respect it.
Say, let's go out for drinks before tonight's game. What's your favorite place near the stadium?

And it'd work. The buyers at Borders' headquarters in Ann Arbor would buy in. So would mom-and-pops that catered to adults throughout the Midwest. I'd make a few hundred additional dollars. Just as importantly, I'd feel as if I was doing something meaningful.

Monday, November 05, 2012

I once spent a lot of time with the music of bands like Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse, Richard Buckner and Lambchop.

The musicians in these acts were inspired in part by what Greil Marcus called the "Old, Weird America." For the purposes of There Stands the Glass, I'll call 'em post-Tom Waits bands. Their dusty indie-rock draws on Beatnik jazz, the psychedelic folk of Bert Jansch, Richard Thompson and Jerry Garcia and the sonic mayhem of late-career Waits.